Ratchet pipe-cutter.



No. 784,445. PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905. P. M. SYLVESTER.

RATGHET PIPE CUTTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED MAR. v, 1905. F. M. SYLVESTER. RATGHET PIPE CUTTER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 19, 1904.

4 SHEETSSHEBT 2.

anon W11 No. 784,445. PATENTED MAR. '7, 1905 F. M. SYLVESTBR.

RATGHET PIPE CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

JGWIZZ 771. @Zrarer wihmooes I PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

F. M. SYLVBSTER. RATGHET PIPE CUTTER. APPLICATION TILED JULY 19, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented March '7, 1905.

PATENT @FFICE.

FRANK M. SYLVESTER, OF HAMILTON, WASHINGTON.

HATCH ET PIPE-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,445, dated March '7, 1905. Application filed July 19. 1904. Serial No. 217,237.

To (all w/m'm it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. SYLvnsTuR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hamilton, in the county of Skagit and State of VVash- 'ington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ratchet Pipe-Cutters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a pipe-cutting tool adapted tooperate on various sizes of pipes, which latter may lie in vertical, horizontal, or any angular position. The cutting-tool is so designed that it can be used where a pipe is run but a short distance from a wall or other obstruction and but little space allowed for moving the operating-lever. Another advantage to be derived from the use of this tool is in the ability to operate it in narrow or otherwise cramped places, where heretofore saws and chisels have been necessary. A pipe cut with my improved tool presents a smooth clean-cut end, leaving the pipe in condition for immediate threading.

The objects and advantages of this invention not hereinbefore referred to will be enumerated in detail in the following description, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention attached to a pipe and in operative position. Fig. 2 is a detail view in perspective of one of the retaining-collars. Fig. 3 represents a vertical central section through the invention. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line a 11' of Fig. 5 looking in a direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 5 is a view, partly in central cross-section, on the line (a a of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is adetail view of the cutting-wheel and its supporting-frame. Fig. 7 is a dissembled view of my invention, showing how it is applied laterally to a pipe.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The numeral 9. indicates the body portion of my invention, comprising two circular plates 1 and 1, similar in form and construction, each having acentral opening 2*, through which the pipe 50 to be cut is passed, the inner faces of said plates lying normally in contact with and held in proper relation to each other by steady-pins 3.

Each plate 1 and 1 is provided with a peripheral flange 4 and 5, respectively, between which flanges and covering the line of contact between the faces of said plates is a ring 6, rotatable thereon and provided on its entire periphery with ratchetteeth 7. The peripheries of the circular plates 1 and 1 outside their respective flanges i and 5 have for a part of their circumference a number of ratchet-teeth 8 in line with each other and facing in opposite directions to those 7 on the ring 6.

The numeral 9 indicates a collar to be placed around the pipe 50, one on each side of and close to the circular plates 1 and 2 and se curely fastened to said pipe for holding the body 2 in place thereon. The collar 9 (see Fig. 2) is divided crosswise into two parts 10 and 11, hinged together on one side at 12 and connected by an adjustable clamp on the other side. Any suitable style of clamp may be used to temporarily connect the parts 10 and 11 of the collar, one variety of which is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and comprises a curved rod or plate 13, attached to the part 11 ata proper distance from its free end and, extending toward said free end, terminates in an eye 14, through which a thumb-screw 15 passes. The part 10 of the collar is provided with outwardly-extending lingers 10, between which the thumb-screw 15 is adapted to enter, and the parts 10 and 11 are drawn together by means of a thumb-nut 17 after the collar has been applied to the pipe. The part 10 of each collar is socketed at 18 to receive one of the forked ends of each of two operating-levers 19 and 20, journaled in each collar on the same pivot-pin 21. (See Figs. 1 and 5.)

On the lever 19 a pawl 22 is pivoted, the operating end of which is forked or divided to form two fingers 23 23, which straddle the ring 6 and engage the teeth or notches 8 on the peripheries of the body Aspring 24, fixed to the lever 19, holds the pawl 22 in engagement with the teeth or notches 8. The spring 24 is connected to the pawl 22 in such manner that when the said pawl is moved by hand across the center of its pivot 25 in either direction the spring will hold it against the ratchet-teeth 8 or in retracted position, as on Fig. 3. A spring-actuated pawl 26 is pivwheel 28 away from the central opening 2.

In order to move the cutting-wheel forward that it may act on a pipe within the opening 2, the inner face of the ring 6 is provided with cam-surfaces 32,formed by cutting away a portion of the ring 6 on each side, a rib 33 separating said cam-surfaces. The outer end of the cutting-wheel frame 29 rests against the camsurfaces 32, and as thering 6 is turned in one direction the cutting-wheel is moved toward the pipe, while a reverse turn of the ring permits said wheel under the force of the spring 31 to be drawn from said pipe. The length of movement imparted by the cam-surfaces to the cutting-wheel is a little greater than the thickness of the heaviest pipe on which the cutter is designed to operate.

If provision be not made for holding the cutting-wheel 28 fixed against radial movement, the tool when turned by the lever 20 to cut the pipe would cause the cam-surfaces of the ring 6 to act on the cutting-wheel frame 29 and jam the cutting-wheel into the pipe with such force that all movement would be prevented. Means, therefore, are provided for holding the cuttingwheel fixed against endwise movement in the slots 27 while encircling the pipe and for advancing the cutter step by step until the pipe is cut through. Across the inner face of the ring 6 is a series of radial notches 34, while through the body 2 is an opening 35, so placed as to consecutively register with the notches 34 when the ,body or ring is caused to turn. The opening 35 has the same width as the notches 34; but its radial length is double that of the notches, while the circumferential space on the ring 6 occupied by the notches 34 is substantially the same as that of the cam-surfaces 32. l/Vhen the opening 35 registers with one of the notches 34, a key 36 may be inserted therethrough and lock the ring 6 to the body 2. They will then rotate as one. Assuming now that the tool has been slipped over a pipe 50 to the position desired and the collars 9 clamped to the pipe and close against the body 2, a suitable abutment, hereinafter described, will hold the pipe against the edge of the cutting-wheel 28. The end of the supporting-frame 29 through the spring 31 will bear on the outermost parts of the cam-surfaces 32, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. Should the key 36 be in the first notch 34 of the ring 6, it is removed therefrom and the levers 19 2O operated to- .Fig. 3.

ward each other. This movement will through the pawls 22 and 26 turn the body 2 and ring 6 in opposite directions, thereby causing the cutting-wheel to advance toward the pipe until the opening 35 registers with the second notch 34, at which time the cu tting-wheel 28 will be embedded in the pipe a sufficient distance to make the first cut. The key 36 is now to be replaced in the opening 35, but willengage with the second notch 34 in place of the first one. The body 2 and the ring 6 being now locked together, the pawl 22 on the lever 19 is thrown back to the positionshown by dotted lines in Fig. 3 and the lever 20 used to give one rotation, or more, if necessary, to the tool. l/Vhen the pipe is in such a position that the lever cannot make a complete rotation, it may be'oscillated until the tool has made one or more turns, as necessity demands. After making the first cut the pawl 22 is returned to its operative position on the toothed portion of the body 2, the key 26 withdrawn from its seat, and the previous operations repeated until the pipe is divided. The teeth or. notches 8 on the periphery of the body 2 are preferably equal in number to the notches 34 on the inner face of the disk.

At times it is impossible to place the tool endwise on a pipe, owing to the fact that the ends of the pipe are not free, but have a coupling of some form thereon. To overcome this difficulty, a section of each plate 1 and 1 and a portion of the ring 6 are made removable, so that the tool can be placed sidewise on a pipe. The removable portion 37 of the ring 6, which will be called hereinafter a locking-block, is of the same configuration in cross-section as the ring 6 and has its ends 38 dovetailed, mortised, or otherwise adapted to fit correspondingly-shaped grooves or ways in the ring 6, so that it may be withdrawn radially from the said ring. socketed on its outer side at 39 to receive a pivoted post 40, provided with an angular head for the reception of a key or wrench by which it may be turned. Pivoted to opposite sides of the post 40 are two locking-pins 41, one of which extends through each end of the locking-block and is adapted to engage in seats 42, formed in the ring 6, to fasten the locking-block in position, represented in A quarter-turn of the post 40 will withdraw the locking-pins from their sockets and permit the removal of the locking-block from the ring.

The sections or abutments 43 of the plates 1 and 1 are diametrically opposite the cutting-wheel 28 and are removable sidewise from said plates. Each abutment 43 is provided with a lug 44 on each lateral edge,

adapted to enter a groove of similar shape as the lug made in the circular plate. These lugs prevent endwise movement of the sections. The inner ends of the abutments 43 are concaved to prevent contact with the pipe,

The locking-block is but are socketed at 45 to receive antifrictionrollers 46, their peripheries extending beyond the inner curved edges of the abutments 43 to form a roller-bearing for the pipe.

To place the tool sidewise on a pipe, the collars 9, with the attached operating-levers 19 and 20, are laid aside, the locking-block 37 unlocked and removed radially from the ring 6, and the abutments I3 disconnected from the circular plates 1 and 2 by sliding them sidewise. The tool will then be in the condition illustrated by Fig. 7, partly in place on a pipe, represented by dotted lines. As soon as the cutting-wheel has been brought in contact with the pipe the abutments and locking-block are replaced and the collars 9 fastened around the pipe, as hereinabove described. 36 is withdrawn and the levers operated until the cutting-wheel 28 is embedded a slight distance in the pipe, when the key is replaced, and the further operation is the same as that previously described.

To enable the tool to be used for cutting pipes of all diameters,from the largest ad missible to the opening 2 to the smallest, it will be necessary to have several cutting-wheel frames of different lengths and a number of abutments in which the distance from the centers of the lugs 44 to the centers of the antifriction-rollers l6 varies.

\Vhile but one form of the tool has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that numerous changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The peripheral surface of the ring 6 may, for instance, be smooth and an eccentric locking block be substituted for the spring-pawl, a different variety and arrangement of pawl 22 and spring 24 may be used instead of that shown, the locking device for the locking-block 37 may be other than that illustrated, the abutments may be altered and otherwise attached, the securing means for holding the collars closed, and other changes which would naturally suggest themselves to a person'skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a tool of the character described, a body formed of two like circular plates, each plate having a central opening therethrough and a peripheral flange, a cutter radially movable in the slot formed in said body, and a ring rotatable about said body between said flanges and having peripheral teeth.

2. In a tool of the character described,a body formed of two like circular plates, each plate having a central opening therethrough and a peripheral flange, a removable abutment forming a part of each plate, a cutter radially movable in the slot formed in said body, and a ring rotatable about said body between said flanges and having peripheral teeth.

3. In a tool of the character described, a body formed of two like circular plates, each plate The key having a central opening therethrough and a peripheral flange, a cutter radially movable in the slot formed in said body, a ring rotatable about said body between said flanges and having peripheral teeth, and a locking-block forming a part of said ring and removable therefrom.

4. In a tool of the character described, a body formed of two circular plates, each plate having a central opening therethrough and a pcripheral flange, a removable abutment forming a part of each plate, a cutter radially movable in the slot formed in said body, a ring rotatable about said body between said flanges and having peripheral teeth, and a locking-block forming a part of said ring and removable therefrom.

5. In a tool of the character described, a circular body having a central opening therethrough, a rotatable ring surrounding said body, portions of said body and ring adapted to be removed whereby an opening or slot is formed from the periphery of saidring to the central opening, and a radially-movable cutter carried by said body and adapted to enter a central opening.

6. In a tool of the character described, a flat cylindrical body having a central opening therethrough, a removable abutment forming a part of said body, a cutting-wheel in said head movable radially thereon, and a ring having cam-surfaces surrounding said body adapted to be turned to advance the cuttingwheel.

7. In a tool of the character descri bed, a body having a central opening formed of two like separable circular plates in close contact, the said body having a central opening and an interior radial slot formed partly in each plate, a ring rotatable on said body and having camsurfaces on its inner face, and a cutting-wheel in said radial slot adapted to be moved toward said central opening by the cam-surfaces.

8. In a tool of the characterdescribed, a body formed of two like circular plates, having a central opening therethrough, peripheral flanges, and notches or teeth on its edge outside said flanges, a ring surrounding said body between said flanges, the body and ring adapted to be turned in opposite directions, operating-levers to turn said parts, a cutting-wheel, and means on said ring for moving the cuttingwheel radially.

9. ln atool of the character described, a circular body having a central opening and peripheral flanges, a cutting-wheel, and a ring surrounding said body between said flanges, said body and ring adapted to be turned in opposite directions to advance the cutting-wheel.

10. In a tool of the character described, a flat cylindrical body having acentral opening and a radial slot, a cutting-wheel movable in said slot, a ring surrounding said body and centrally placed thereon, said body and ring adapted to be moved in opposite directions,

IIO

and means for connecting said parts together that they may be rotated as one.

11. In a tool of the character described, a fiat cylindrical body, a ring rotatable thereon and having cam-surfaces on its inner face, a cutting-wheel slidably carried in said body, and bearing against said cam-surfaces, means for turning said body and ring in opposite directions to advance said cutting-wheel toward the material to be cut, and other means for connecting said body and ring that they may be moved as one around said material.

12. In a tool of the character described, a circular body having a central opening, a series of peripheral teeth and a peripheral opening 35, a ring rotatable on the circular body and having cam-surfaces and a series of notches 34 on its inner face, a cutting-wheel in said body radially movable by said camsurfaces, and a key adapted to be inserted in said opening 35 and one of said notches 34 to lock said body and ring together after setting the cutting-wheel, that they may turn as one.

13. In a tool of the character described, a circular body having a central opening, a cutting-wheel carried by said body, a ring rotatably mounted on said body and held against axial movement, divided collars adapted to be screwed on a pipe to be cut, and oppositelyinclined levers pivoted to said collars.

14. In a tool of the character described, a circular body having a central opening and peripheral notches or teeth, a toothed ring surrounding said body and rotatably mounted thereon, divided collars adapted to be secured on a pipe to be out near the sides of the body, operating-levers pivoted to said collars, one of said levers adapted to turn the body while the other lever rotates said ring, a cuttingwheel within said body and adapted to move radially by the movement of said ring, and means for joining the body and ring to turn as one when the lever operating said body is disengaged therefrom.

15. In a tool of the character described, two members circumferentially disposed and adapted to be turned in opposite directions, a cutting-wheel radially moved by the turning of said members, means forconnecting said members that they may be turned as one, and a lever arranged to engage with and turn each member.

16. In a tool of the character described, two members circumferentially disposed and rotatable one upon the other, each of said members having a central opening and a radial slot communicating therewith, removable parts of said members to close said radial slots, and a cutter carried by one of said members and radially movable toward said central opening.

In testimony whereof I aflEiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK M. SYLVESTER. Witnesses:

A. W. SCHAFER, LoUIs P. SCHAFER. 

